OTTAWA — As alarm grows across Europe about growing Russian aggression towards NATO countries, Canada’s ambassador-designate to the European Union says Canada is right to be concerned because of its stake in the continent’s defence and security. “Canada is an ally through NATO and increasingly working with the European Union, and obviously we have a strong stake in this as well,” Jonathan Wilkinson said in an interview with CTV Question Period airing Sunday. “We have soldiers in Latvia and a commitment under NATO to be part of the response if in fact there was a challenge.” “So, I mean, we’re all concerned, and it’s important for us to act together to deter the Russians,” Wilkinson also told host Vassy Kapelos. NATO’s Article 5 outlines the principle of collective defence and asserts that an attack on one member is considered an attack on all members. Worry about Russia’s actions have been growing amongst Canada’s allies in Europe. Earlier this month, the German government blamed Russia for an attempted drone attack on an airport in Leipzig in August, with German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul saying: “Russia’s leadership is treating our country with blatant hostility.” On Thursday, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk issued a stark warning that Russia may launch drone or missile strikes in the coming weeks and months against European nations that support Ukraine, citing intelligence assessments from NATO, Poland and Ukraine. “We are now focusing on how to safeguard Poland, rather than on whether Russia is planning something bad,” Tusk said. “Because we know it is planning something.” Tusk’s concerns were echoed Friday by French President Emmanuel Macron, who confirmed during a press conference that France had experienced hybrid attacks in recent weeks. “I want to emphasize that the nature of Russian aggression and its threats in Europe is changing,” Macron said, adding that his government had convened a meeting with the country’s regional prefects to establish a “posture and heightened vigilance regarding Russian hybrid attacks.” Prime Minister Mark Carney, meanwhile, heard firsthand the concerns expressed by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen during her state of the union speech this week in Strasbourg, France. Pointing to hybrid threats from Russia that are “less and less hybrid and less and less threats,” von der Leyen in her speech said Europe must increase its preparedness. “I think we should all be concerned,” Wilkinson said, when asked by Kapelos about his level of worry at the prospect of potentially imminent Russian action. “I mean, some of the recent activities in Leipzig and elsewhere have shown the Russians are willing to actually do things that previously we would not have thought they would have done.” “Europeans take this very, very seriously, and they should,” Wilkinson added. “It’s on their doorstep.” Wilkinson in his interview also discussed European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s recent pitch to have Canada become the first-ever “associate member” of the 27-member bloc. You can watch Canadian ambassador-designate to the European Union Jonathan Wilkinson’s full interview on CTV Question Period Sunday at 11 a.m. ET.
